Oregon State Beavers athletics 2016-17 year in review

With Oregon State baseball’s College World Series run ending last weekend, the Beavers’ 2016-17 athletic year has officially come to a close. The overall department saw significant change, when athletic director Todd Stansbury left in September for Georgia Tech and Scott Barnes was hired in Corvallis. Additionally, here’s a look back at how each team performed during its season.

Timothy J. Gonzalez | AP Photo

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Football

The Beavers showed progress in Gary Andersen’s second season. OSU went 4-8 but finished the season with two consecutive victories, including a Civil War comeback to beat the Ducks for the first time since 2007. Running back Ryan Nall is one of the Pac-12’s rising stars, totaling 951 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns in 10 games. Next, the Beavers will aim to return to a bowl game for the first time since 2013.

Gina Mizell | The Oregonian/OregonLive

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Men's basketball

After ending a lengthy NCAA Tournament drought in 2016, the Beavers were ravaged by injuries and poor play during a 5-27 season. OSU lost to teams like Lamar, Savannah State and Portland during nonconference play and went 1-17 during the Pac-12 slate. Reasons for optimism? Top player Tres Tinkle should return from a broken wrist next season, big man Drew Eubanks opted to return to school after testing the NBA draft waters and star recruit Ethan Thompson — the brother of starting guard Stephen Thompson Jr. and son of assistant Stephen Thompson — joins the fold next season.

Timothy J. Gonzalez | AP Photo

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Women's basketball

After losing five seniors — including stars Jamie Weisner and Ruth Hamblin — off a historic Final Four team, the 2016-17 season was largely viewed as a rebuilding season. Instead, the Beavers won their third consecutive Pac-12 regular-season title, advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament and finished ninth in the final coaches poll. Point guard Sydney Wiese (15.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, 4.5 assists per game) racked up accolades, earning All-America honors and the prestigious Senior CLASS Award while becoming the Pac-12’s all-time leader in three-pointers and OSU’s record-holder for career assists before being drafted in the first round by the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks.

Anibal Ortiz | The Corvallis Gazette-Times via AP

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Baseball

The Beavers put together a record-breaking season, going a program-best 56-6 and advancing to the College World Series before falling one game short of the finals. OSU’s dominant pitching staff led the nation in ERA (1.93), while middle infielder Nick Madrigal (.380, four home runs, 40 RBI, 53 runs scored) was named the Pac-12 Player and Defensive Player of the Year and a national Gold Glove winner. OSU never lost consecutive games before falling to LSU on back-to-back days in Omaha.